It doesn’t matter where you go, or who you talk to, it’s unanimous – everyone loves a giant teddy! Giant teddy bears are loved by children and adults all over the world. Maybe it’s something to do with getting a life-sized, squidgy hug! But where can you find these bears, and how big can they actually get? Keep reading to find out! 

The largest giant teddy bear in the world

If Goldilocks goes down to the woods today, she’ll be sure of a big surprise… especially if she heads to Mexico for her Teddy Bear’s Picnic as the largest teddy listed in the Guinness Book of Records is there!

In April 2019, residents of Xonacatlán entered the Guinness Book of World Records with their giant teddy bear named Xonita. She measured a whopping 19.41 metres, which is as long as three giraffes standing on each others’ shoulders, on their tiptoes. Maybe a little bit too big for snuggle, but we’ll leave that up to you! 

The teddy – who weighs more than four tonnes – was stitched together over three months in an attempt to attract more tourists to the town. Given that the story was featured in the BBC and that the bear was listed in the Guiness Book of Records, we’re sure that the bear must have brought more tourists to the town! 

What about other famous giant teddies?

Xonita isn’t the only famous giant bear in the world. Here are a couple of other well known big bears: 

Costco bear

Did you hear about the Costco bear that became so famous it got its own Wikipedia and Facebook pages? It was sold by Costco and was 8 feet tall. Not quite as big as the largest teddy in the world, but still bigger than most people! It even appeared on TV in The Big Bang Theory and on Jimmy Kimmel Live. You can check him out on Instagram too by searching the hashtag #CostCoBear. 

Joyfay Teddy

Some teddies aren’t just big, they’re also very, very leggy! Take the Joyfay Teddy as an example. Although the bear is 78 inches long in total, its legs are 36 inches of that, making the head and torso teeny in comparison! 

Giant teddy bears are taking over! 

This could be our favourite big bear story… Residents of the Les Gobelins neighbourhood in Paris noticed giant teddy bears popping up in the most unusual places. They were sitting outside cafes, hanging out of apartment windows, and generally seen to be living like people! But these giant bears weren’t brought to life. In fact, they were placed around the neighbourhood by a bookshop owner named Phillipe in an attempt to bring the community together in a fun and unusual way. This story really does show the versatility of a teddy bear! 

But what about the little ones? 

If you want to join a tiny Teddy Bear’s Picnic, you’d better head to South Africa – and make sure to take a magnifying glass! According to the Guinness Book of Records, the world’s smallest bear lives there! It’s only half the size of a little person’s little finger at only…9mm. 

Do Bears4U have giant teddy bears?

In a word, yes! Although we should say that they’re not quite as big as the giant ones we’ve already mentioned. They’re simply larger than our standard size and the biggest is measured at 24 inches, so perfect for a good squeeze but they won’t take up too much room in your home. Take a look at our variety of big teddy bears to browse the different animals we have in stock – whether you’re looking to buy for yourself or as a gift for a loved one, we’re sure you’ll find something perfect at Bears4u.